Protect Your Children From High Cholesterol

Any discussion about high cholesterol will probably lead you to think about the health problems facing adults. However, this same risk factor that indicates the possibility of coronary heart disease for adults can also be an indication of premature coronary heart disease in children. Many parents aren’t aware of the risks of high cholesterol that their children may be facing. Children aren’t routinely checked for this condition. The best way to be sure that your children have good health is to be aware of the causes of high cholesterol in children. Click here to learn more about the families and children with cholesterol symptoms.

What Is Cholesterol?

To best recognize the causes of high cholesterol in children it is best to understand what cholesterol is and its relationship to the human body. In general, cholesterol is produced in the liver and is pulled from certain foods. The body makes as much cholesterol as it needs for the building of cell walls and formation of hormones. The human body needs a certain amount of this substance, but too much and the wrong types of cholesterol can lead to blockage and heart disease. When a blood test is done to take measurements, the test will look at low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL). Too many LDLs will cause that blockage and risk of heart attack. HDLs, however, should be high.

Controllable Factors

There are both controllable factors of high cholesterol and uncontrollable risk factors. Understanding the controllable causes of high cholesterol gives parents the chance to reduce their children’s risk of heart disease. These controllable factors include secondhand smoke, elevated blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and high levels of stress. Parents who are concerned that their children may be at risk of high levels of LDLs can take steps to protect their children from secondhand smoke and unhealthy diets. It’s important to control those factors that can be controlled because there are several factors that cannot be controlled. Factors Out of Your Control

These factors include heredity, race, gender, and the postmenopausal state. Heredity refers to a family’s history of and tendency toward high levels of LDLs and cardiovascular disease. Some races tend to experience a higher risk of high cholesterol. Males tend to experience more classic symptoms than women do and women who are postmenopausal seem to have more risk than younger women.

Risk Factors and Screenings

Unless they have some reason to test their children’s cholesterol levels, it’s pretty uncommon for parents to give these levels any consideration. If family members have many of the risk factors, parents should probably take steps to learn their children’s levels. This might require a fasting screening. With an early warning of elevated cholesterol, parents may be able to make any necessary changes that will protect their children’s quality of life.

Protect the Health of Your Child

Early intervention might be one of the most important ways to correct elevated cholesterol, even into the adult years. However, some critics say that it is too soon to believe that childhood treatment of the situation will impact adult expectations of cholesterol. However, recognizing the causes of high cholesterol in children and taking steps to correct those that are controllable can certainly improve the quality of children’s lives.